Targus Travel USB Hub, 4 USB2 Ports with Built in Cable
If you’re a modern traveller or travelling business person it is inevitable you will be bringing some gadgets on your trips. Digital cameras, USB memory sticks, external USB hard drives, wireless mouse, PDAs maybe even a portable printer; all these things need USB ports.
Most laptops come with 2 to 4 USB ports but maybe that is not enough if you want to plug everything in at once. External USB hubs have been around almost as long as the original USB 1.1 spec. The problem with most is they are not made for travelling and can be quite bulky. Some even require a power adapter, the last thing you want to bring is another brick three or four times the size of the hub just for some extra ports.
Some require an extra cable, better, but why bring an extra cable when you don’t have to.
That’s why I always search for 4 port USB hubs with built in cables and no power bricks. Two ports may not be enough in emergencies and they aren’t much smaller than 4 ports if you buy the right ones. Which brings me to one of my favorites, the Targus Travel USB 2.0 4- Port Hub with Built-in Cable.
I also have their earlier model which is about the same size but this latest version is even better. Fully enclosed in a slick black case the cable and ports are all inside the casing, preventing dust and minor splashes from entering the USB ports.
Price is $29.99 US
USBCELL, Rechargeable Batteries Charged from USB Port
Rechargeable batteries that don’t need a recharger, cable or cradle. A portable traveller’s dream, right?
Well it looks like a company called Moxiaenergy may be onto something here. Double AA cells that can be recharged from any powered USB port. The top portion pops open to reveal a USB connector.
They seem a little underpowered for rechargeable NiMH AA’s with 1300mah per battery. Newer rechargeables currently go up to 2500mah.
Recharge time is 90% after 5 hours in a USB port.
Regular NiMH chargers can be used but can take longer.
Most laptops come with at least two USB ports so now your laptop can act as a battery charger besides it’s other uses. If you carry a small travel USB port extender hub for other peripherals like the Targus USB hub you can charge up to four batteries.
The batteries sell for 12.99 UK pounds ($25 US) for a set of two.
From their press release.
This revolutionary rechargeable battery can charge from any USB port without the need for any recharging devices, cradles or cables. Simply pop the lid to reveal a built in connector and charger, plug into any powered USB port on your desktop, laptop, keyboard or games console, to charge the battery.
USBCELL can be used exactly like a normal battery meaning there is now no need to purchase huge packs of alkaline batteries, or invest in or carry a clunky charger. Billions of USB ports are readily available in homes and workplaces around the world meaning you never need to run out of power and making the USBCELL extremely cost-effective and convenient for all battery-powered devices. Currently available in the AA format, the USBCELL will shortly comprise a full range of standard formats, phone and camera batteries.
Until now the battery industry, although reaching record levels of sales, has failed to keep pace with the exciting developments and device portability in the rest of the consumer electronics industry. No longer - USBCELL brings truly portable power for devices.
Olympus 720sw Waterproof Pocket Camera
Pocket digital cameras are the way to go for the portable traveller. The problem is most of the cameras available are not waterproof. You know the problem, you’ve got a week at a tropical area, you want to see everything, your agenda calls for buzzing around the shopping zones and the beach afterwards.
Well, taking snapshots while shopping is fine but what happens when you head to the beach, slip into your trunks and dash into the water trying to grab a shot of your friends messing about? Are you going to forget about the shot or mince about like the pink panther with your hands held up to avoid any drops of water from touching your precious new toy?
Both Pentax and Olympus have recognized the need for ultra compact cameras that can be used in all vacation situations. What good is having a small pocketable digital camera that’s perfect for vacation when you can’t take it with you half the time?
Olympus’ latest entry into the small and waterproof category is the 720sw, a little unit that is both shockproof and waterproof up to 10 feet with the now pretty much standard 2.5” screen and digital image stabilization features. Really, the only thing that makes one notice are the drop proof and waterproof features.
Frankly, I hope all pocket camera makers make waterproofing a standard feature on all pocket cameras.
Some key specs:
- 7.1 Megapixel (effective), 7.4 megapixel gross, 1/2.33” CCD
- Lens 6.7 - 20.1mm (38 - 114mm equivalent in 35mm photography)
- Zoom 3x Optical + 5x Digital; 15 Total Seamless Zoom
- Aperture Range f3.5 - f5.0
- LCD 2.5” (6.4cm) Color LCD, approx. 115,000 pixels
- Focus System CCD Contrast Detection
- Focus Range Normal mode: 19.7” - infinity (0.5m - infinity)
- Macro mode: Wide: 7.9” - infinity (0.2m - infinity),
- Super Macro Mode: 2.8” - 19.7” (7cm - 50cm)
- Focus Mode iESP Auto, Spot AF
- Shutter Speed 1/1000 sec. - 1/2 sec. (up to 4 sec. in Night Scene Mode)
- ISO Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 (equivalent)
- Metering Mode Digital ESP Multi-Pattern, Spot Metering
- White Balance Auto, Pre-set (Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, and Fluorescent1, Fluorescent2, Fluorescent3)
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV steps in 1/3 EV steps
- Recording Modes Still Image: JPEG
- Movie: QuickTime motion JPEG
- Adjustment Resolutions 3,072 x 2,304, SHQ/HQ max.
- 28 Shooting Modes:
- Up to 10 frames automatically stitchable with OLYMPUS Master software when using Olympus brand xD-Picture Card
- Sequential Shooting:High speed: 3.7 frames per second up to 11 frames in HQ mode
- Normal speed: 1.1 frames per second up to 6 frames in SQ mode
- Self timer upt to 12 seconds
- Flash
- Internal memory:19.1mb
- xD Picture Card support
- Size: 3.6” W x 2.3” H x 0.78” D (91mm x 58.7mm x 19.8mm)
- Weight:5.3 oz. (149g) without battery and media card
- Li-Ion Battery
Suggest retail is $499.99